Naik Naik & Co. Represents TVF in Supreme Court, Secures Dismissal of FIR on Obscenity Charges
Naik Naik & Co. Represents TVF in Supreme Court, Secures Dismissal of FIR on Obscenity Charges
In a recent legal victory for The Viral Fever (TVF) and its affiliates, law firm Naik Naik & Co. successfully represented TVF, producers, writers, director, and actors of the popular web series "College Romance" before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has quashed a criminal case filed against TVF over allegations of obscene content in the series.
The decision, delivered by a bench comprising Justices AS Bopanna and PS Narasimha, underscored that no violation of Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act (IT Act) was established. This ruling brings a sense of relief to TVF and its associates, who found themselves entangled in a legal battle following a judgment by the Delhi High Court in March 2023.
This ruling brings relief to TVF and its associates, who found themselves entangled in a legal ordeal following a verdict by the Delhi High Court in March 2023. The High Court had sided with the prosecution, holding TVF, the show's director Simarpreet Singh, and actor Apoorva Arora responsible for purportedly creating content considered obscene, profane, and vulgar. The judgment ignited discussions on artistic freedom, societal norms, and the limitations of content regulation in the digital era.
However, the Supreme Court's decision reflects a nuanced understanding of content regulation in India. The bench stressed the importance of evaluating content within the context of contemporary standards of morality and civility while safeguarding freedom of expression and creativity in the digital domain.
Senior Advocates Harish Salve, Mukul Rohatgi, Madhavi Divan, Sajan Poovayya, S Niranjan Reddy, and KV Viswanathan (now a Supreme Court judge), along with Advocates Ameet Naik, Madhu Gadodia, Raghav Shankar, Misha Rohatgi, Pallavi Mishra, Sujoy Mukherji, and Tarini Kulkarni, instructed by Naik Naik & Co., represented TVF, the show's director, writers, and actors throughout the hearings.
Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, along with advocates Shreekant Neelappa Terdal, Sharath Nambiar, Sanjay Kr. Tyagi, Sridhar Potaraju, Nidhi Khanna, Karthik Jasra, Dr. Arun Kumar Yadav, and Arvind Singh, appeared for the Delhi Police.
This landmark ruling underscores the evolving landscape of content regulation and the judiciary's commitment to balancing the interests of creativity and public morality in the digital age. The legal representation provided by Naik Naik & Co. has played a pivotal role in securing a favorable outcome for the producers, writers, director, and actor of the web series "College Romance" in the proceedings before the Supreme Court. Their adept handling of the case underscores their expertise and commitment to defending the interests of their clients in complex legal matters.
